The TM - History

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (* 12. Januar 1918 as Mahesh Verma Shrivastava or Mahesh Prasad Varma in Pounalulla, India; † 5. Februar 2008 in Vlodrop, Netherlands) was just a sadhu and a secretary of Guru Brahmananda Saraswati, the owner of the northern Shankara seat of Jyotirmath of the Indian Shankara Order, who suddenly died of poisoning after 12 years of activity on May 20, 1953. (Brahmananda Saraswati [video]).

In the left behind testament, Gurudev Brahmananda Saraswati had named two candidates as successors, but ultimately the council of Shankaracharyas had to decide. There was a dispute over the succession with an indian by the name of Vishnu Devanand Saraswati, who had simply settled himself, which had to be clarified lengthy at court.

The Swami Shantanand Saraswati, who was desired by Guru Dev, visited Maharishi later during his teacher training in 1961 and was receipted with all ceremony.He praised Maharishi that he wanted to spread the Mantrameditation worldwide (at that time still almost costless).

He was then until 1980 the chair owner. His successor, Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, was a direct disciple of Gurudev and a harsh critic of Maharishi [3]. He clarified Mr. Kropinski about Maharishi in 1987. (There are, however, three competing Jyotirmath lines, that is, further the Madhava Asrama and the Krishnabodha Asrama.)

Shortly after the sudden death of Guru Brahmananda Saraswati, Maharishi disappeared for two years and stayed mainly in the Himalayas.

In 1955, Maharishi reappeared and tried to spread a transcendental 'deep meditation'.In 1957, Maharishi publicly announced his enlightenment.

Early history

In December 1958 Maharishi visited Honolulu, and in 1959 also the USA in California.

At first Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was presented by his followers as a reformer, who spread only a simple mantra-meditation, relying brazenly on the holy tradition of his deceased employer Guru Brahmananda Saraswati.Further : [Video1] - [Video2] (Youtube)

In what the renewal consisted of remained rather open. Anyone who knew about yoga and did not let befog himself smiled rather. Maharishi's common slogans were stress reduction and fulfillment and world peace.

In 1958, Maharishi visited Europe in England for the first time, and then he began to train initiators of his so-called 'Transcendental Meditation' (trademark).

From 1959 a small fee for the meditation was levied. Maharishi then described a three-year plan with the goal of training 25,000 meditation teachers from 1960 onwards.

The TM-Initiators presented a Puja in front of a painting of the Guru Dev and tried (often in good faith ) to make the impression of a connection to the 'Holy Tradition', - which later rejected Maharishi for several reasons completely after his later worldgovernment plans and the much higher prices and his teachings etc..

After some years the regular meditator had the possibility to get accelerators('Fertilizer') within a paid further initiation, at first a later given up sleeptechnique, and then stepwise at the first mantra attached up to 5 syllables.